1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image-display game systems and information storage media used therewith and, more specifically, to an image-display game system in which data exchange and data communications are possible by connecting at least two image-display game devices, and an information storage medium used therefor. In the exemplary embodiments herein, the image-display game system includes a video game machine and a portable game machine in which a game is played with game software including a game program for capturing, training, and trading (sometimes referred to herein as monsters or characters) stored therein.
2. Description of the Background Art
A game which is played for capturing, training, and/or trading monsters or characters is referred to as xe2x80x9cPocket Monster (versions in red, green, blue, and yellow)xe2x80x9d (trade name; hereinafter, xe2x80x9cprior art 1xe2x80x9d) and has been designed and distributed by the same assignee of this application. In this game, characters include pocket monsters (hereinafter, shortened as xe2x80x9cpokemonsxe2x80x9d).
In the prior art 1, the game is played for capturing, training, and trading pokemons (characters), and each version differs in probability of the pokemons"" appearing. Each player captures and collects pokemons up to a predetermined number through trading pokemons or letting pokemons have battles. Pokemon data exchange is carried out through a cable, which connects connectors to a portable game machine.
A game machine utilizing a temporal factor is disclosed in Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. 7-98104 (95-98104) (hereinafter, prior art 2), Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. 7-98105 (95-98105) (prior art 3), and Japanese Patent Examined Publication No. 7-98106 (95-98106) (prior art 4). In these prior arts 2, 3, and 4, a calendar timer is provided in a game machine cartridge, and events take place when a predetermined date or a day of the week occurs.
The player can enjoy the game in the prior art 1 for a relatively long period without losing his/her interest. Further, prior art 1 aids in encouraging conversations and cultivating friendships through exchanging pokemons with friends. However, the players may lose their interest sooner or later if they play the same game for a long time. Furthermore, although the players can exchange pokemon or character data in the prior art 1, the exchangeable data type is limited to the pokemons, and there is no function of generating new items, which are beneficial in the course of the game, for example, by the data exchange.
With the prior arts 2, 3, and 4, the players enjoy the events, which take place only on the predetermined date or the day of the week, but enjoyment of capturing or trading characters is not available. Therefore, the players remember what event has taken place when playing the game repeatedly and thus may lose their interest in going through the same events and easily get bored.
By taking those factors into consideration, a main object of the present invention is to provide an image-display game system, which can stimulate the players to play the game for a long time, and an information storage medium used therefor. This is effectuated by encouraging and activating data exchange with friends and conversations thereabout, and the player may present helping or xe2x80x9chelpxe2x80x9d data, such as items beneficial in the course of the game, to friends. Thereby, effectively utilizing the game machine as a communications tool.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an image-display game system of a type capable of generating various helping data with a high unexpectancy, and an information storage medium used therefor. This is effectuated by correlating a condition for generating the helping data, such as items beneficial in the course of the game with information inherent to the player""s game machine, game machine cartridge (information storage medium), or both.
A first embodiment (claim 1) of the present invention is an image-display game system in which at least two image-display game devices are structured such that data communications is possible therebetween. The image-display game devices each comprises a program storage, a temporal storage, an actuator actuated by a player, a communications device, a processor, and a display.
The temporal storage includes a property data storage region, a helping data storage region, and an ID data storage region. Each of the storage regions is writable with data and readable data therefrom.
The game program storage previously stores a game program, and further generates the helping data processed by the processor of the other image-display game device based on the transferred ID data when one of the image-display game devices and the other image-display game device are made data communicable by the communications device and data communications is selected by the actuator and in response to the ID data transferred from one image-display game device to the other image-display game device. The game program storage stores a program for writing the helping data to the helping data storage region.
In the image-display game device which is a second embodiment (claim 2) of the present invention, the image-display game device includes a clock for counting time. The game program storage stores, in relation to the helping data processed based on the ID data, a program of writing time data indicated by the clock to the storage region of the temporal storage, a program of determining whether a predetermined length of time has passed based on the time data and a time currently indicated by the clock, and a program of prohibiting execution of generating the helping data based on another ID data different from the one which has been transmitted, when the determination program determines that the predetermined length of time has not yet passed.
In a third embodiment (claim 3) of the present invention, the image-display game device includes a clock. The game program storage stores a program of writing time data indicated by the clock to the storage region of the temporal storage in relation to the helping data processed based on the ID data, a first determination program of determining whether the ID data stored in the ID data storage region is identical to ID data transmitted through the communications device, a second determination program of determining whether a predetermined length of time has passed based on the time data and a time currently indicated by the clock, and a program of prohibiting execution of the helping data generation program based on the transmitted ID data, when the first determination program determines that the ID data is identical and the second determination program determines that the predetermined length of time has not yet passed.
In a fourth embodiment (claim 4) of the present invention, the image-display game device includes a clock. The game program storage stores a writing program of writing time data indicated by the clock to the storage region of the temporal storage in relation to the helping data processed based on the ID data, a first determination program of determining whether the ID data stored in the ID data storage region is identical to ID data transmitted through the communications device, a second determination program of determining whether a predetermined length of time has passed based on the time data and a time currently indicated by the clock, and a program of limiting a processing by the helping data generation program based on the transmitted ID data to be operated for a predetermined number of times or less, when the first determination program determines that the ID data is identical and the second determination program determines that the predetermined length of time has not yet passed.
In a fifth embodiment (claim 5) of the present invention, the communication device is an infrared transmitter/receiver which performs communications by infrared radiation.
In a sixth embodiment (claim 6) of the present invention, the helping data generation program included in the game program storage generates item data of an item beneficial for the game process, based on the transferred ID data.
In a seventh embodiment (claim 7) of the present invention, the helping data generation program included in the game program storage generates item data of an item beneficial for the game process and not obtainable in the normal game play, based on the transferred ID data.
An eighth embodiment (claim 8) of the present invention is an image-display game system, which comprises at least two sets of an information storage having a game program stored and an image-display game device detachable with the information storage medium, and further comprises a communications device provided to both of the information storage medium and the image-display game device in relation to either one of those two. The information storage medium comprises: a program storage in which a game program is unalterably stored; a temporal storage; and a housing in which the program storage and the temporal storage are housed. The temporal storage includes, at least, a property data storage region where property data varied in type is stored for every character captured in the course of a game, a helping data storage region where data for helping the game process is stored, and an ID data storage region where ID data for identifying a player is stored, and each of the storage regions is writable with data or readable data therefrom. The image-display game device comprises: an actuator actuated by the player; a processor, and an image display.
In a ninth embodiment (claim 9) of the present invention, the image-display game device is a portable game machine, and the communications device includes an infrared transmitter/receiver integrally provided to the housing of the information storage medium.
In a tenth embodiment (claim 10) of the present invention, the image-display game device is a portable game machine, and the communications device includes an infrared transmitter/receiver integrally provided to the image-display game device.
In the first embodiment of the present invention mentioned in the foregoing, the actuator is actuated by the player for, at least, an operation for capturing characters and an operation for performing data communications with another player. The communications device performs the data communications with the other player""s image-display game device. With the program carried out, the processor performs an image processing to change an image on display in response to the actuator and changes the property data responding to the game process made, based on the state of the actuator to write the data in the storage region corresponding to the temporal storage.
In detail, by the processor subjecting the program stored in the program storage to processing, the temporal storage included in each of the image-display game devices stores the property data varied in type for every character captured in the course of the play, stores data helping the game process into the helping data storage region, and stores the ID data for identifying the player into the ID data storage region.
The display displays the result obtained by the processing carried out by the processor. Further, the game program storage generates, thorough processing by the processor, the helping data processed by the processor of the other image-display game device based on the transferred ID data and stores the helping data to the helping data storage region, when one of the image-display game devices and the other image-display game device are made data communicable by the communications device and when data communications is selected by the actuator, in response to the ID data transferred from one image-display game device to the other image-display game device.
In the eighth embodiment of the present invention, the actuator is actuated by the player for, at least, an operation for capturing characters and an operation for performing data communications with another player. The processor carries out information processing in response to the actuator and based on the program. The image display displays an image obtained through processing carried out by the processor. Furthermore, with the program stored in the program storage carried out, the processor carries out image processing to change an image on display in response to the actuator and changes the property data to be written into the temporal storage responding to the game process made based on the state of the actuator to change the characters"" images based on the property data.
The game program storage further generates the helping data processed by the processor of the other image-display game device based on the transferred ID data and stores the helping data to the helping data storage region, in response to one of the image-display game devices and the other image-display game device are made data communicable by the communications device and the ID data transferred from one image-display game device to the other image-display game device.
As described in the foregoing, according to the present invention, the players exchange both their ID data at the time of data exchange or communications, and, based on the ID data, the helping data, such as items beneficial in the course of the game, is presented. Accordingly, data exchange with many friends and communications accompanying therewith can be encouraged and activated, and the game machine can be effectively utilized as a communications tool. As a result, the players can be effectively stimulated to play the game for a long time.
Further, a condition for generating the helping data, such as items beneficial in the course of the game, is correlated with information (ID data) inherent to the player""s game machine, game machine cartridge (information storage medium), or both. As a result, various helping data can be generated with a high unexpectancy. In this manner, the game becomes more interesting, and a game software or a game system, which can encourage the players to perform data exchange or communications with many friends, can be implemented.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.